The Tokyo District Court has ordered the government to pay damages to a former Ground Self-Defense Force member over his claim that he suffered power harassment from his superior SDF members.

The plaintiff quit the SDF four years ago, after serving in the force's camp in central Japan's Shizuoka Prefecture and other work locations.

He sued the government over alleged power harassment during his SDF career. The government has argued that what he called harassment was legitimate training.

Presiding Judge Ikeda Tomoko said in Thursday's ruling that the plaintiff was forced to live on the fifth floor of a dormitory without an elevator even though he has a disability in his right leg.

The judge said the SDF had broken its obligation to consider the safety of its personnel.

Ikeda ordered the government to pay the plaintiff 1.5 million yen, or about 10,000 dollars.

The judge also said orders from his superiors to write part of the Self-Defense Forces Law's provision until he reached 10,000 Japanese characters were illegal.

The orders were said to be punishment for the service member gaining weight. The judge described it as an intolerable degree of instruction.

Ikeda said despite having a disability, the man was forced to bear a burden that could have caused him long-term physical and psychological damage.